"When I was a little girl my brother would tell me a story about the man who murdered our father." Daenerys began the trial of Jaime Lannister. "And all the things we would do to that man."

Jaime stood in the Great hall of Winterfell surrounded by the judgemental eyes of the lords of the North with Daenerys Targaryen and Sansa Stark at the front of the hall, the King in the North seemingly nowhere to be found. He looked over to see his little brother Tyrion who was seemingly experiencing just as much discomfort as his big brother, if not more.

"I'm sure you know how I had to live my life because of you, always fleeing from place to place from the assassins of your king."

Jaime bowed his head in shame. The Mad King should not have been allowed to continue to rule but the thought that his actions caused an innocent child to have to endure a life such as that made him sick to his stomach.

"Tell me why should I not send the your charred remains back to your sister?" Daenerys questioned desperately wanting to watch him burn.

The Kingslayer let out a bitter chuckle at the mention of his deranged sister. "I'm sure Cersei wouldn't mind that after I betrayed her for coming here. She never had any intention of sending her armies North and has in fact strengthened her army with the Golden Company. 18,000 infantrymen and 2,000 cavalry."

Daenerys winced at this. Not only were the numbers excruciatingly lower then they had hoped they would be against the Night King but now Cersei would most likely have the numbers advantage once the war was won.

"And how are we supposed to trust you?" Sansa Stark accused. "You tried to destroy my house and fought my father in the streets of King's Landing."

"We were at war! All the things I did were for my house and I would do it all again." Jaime yelled. While he shouldn't be, he was starting to get irritated.

"The things we do for love." While nobody understood it, Jaime did and he completely failed to hide his fear of Brandon Stark telling everybody what he did to him.

"Your grace I know my brother, why would he come if he knew how he would be received?" Tyrion defended his brother.

"Perhaps he bet on his little brother to defend him, gain our trust, and then slit my throat." Daenerys snapped. "Just as he did my father."

Daenerys was clearly not going to pardon Jaime anytime soon. But Tyrion wasn't just going to let his brother die like this and he knew what would get Daenerys to calm down. "Perhaps we should get Jon's input before we reach a final decision."

With that Daenerys took a deep breath and muttered a hesitant command. "Very well. I want him locked in a cell for now until we can sort out what to do with him"

With that the hall was dismissed and the lords began evacuating all giving Jaime nasty looks on the way out.

Daenerys then approached Varys once all the lords had left the hall. "Where is Jon?" She asked. She hadn't seen him all day and was wondering if he was feeling sick. He couldn't be sick right now when the army of the dead was rapidly approaching.

"He was last seen entering the crypts the previous night and hasn't been seen since." Varys explained. After giving him a nod, Daenerys proceeded to the Winterfell crypts wondering what kept him from a rather important meeting in the great hall.

Daenerys began her descent down a spiral staircase into the dark and gloomy underground of Winterfell. It was dark, just barely kept lit by the candles of lined along the walls. She passed by statue after statue and Stark after Stark. She continued down the seemingly endless hall until she could hear the Jon's faint snoring. She found him sleeping behind a woman's statue using Ghost as a pillow. When she went to wake him she found his face stained with tears that still appeared to be falling. After some hesitance she began rocking him lightly to get him to wake.

XXXX

Jon began stirring in his sleep to wake up to the face he saw most mornings. But it was different this time because this time he knew the truth and still wasn't sure when he should tell her or if he should at all.

"Are you alright?" Dany asked concern written on her face.

Not now. he thought to himself. Soon but not now. "I'm alright."

It was so obvious a lie and it was so obvious she could tell. "Is it something you would prefer not to discuss?"

No, I don't. I don't even want to remember what happened last night. "Not yet." He said hesitantly as he began lifting himself to his feet along with Ghost.

"I need some time to process it before discussing." He knew the longer he waited the worse it would be but they needed to focus right now. Why Sam didn't understand that was beyond Jon.

"Why were you sleeping here?" Daenerys inquired.

Jon was never a good liar unless it came to stealing pastries from the baker's when he was a little boy with his brother Robb. "I just needed somewhere else to be."

Daenerys could tell there was no truth to it but she wouldn't press him further. "Well a rider has arrived." Daenerys said. "Jaime Lannister."

Jon eyed her suspiciously at the way she said it, was clearly not pleased. "Well that's good, when did he say the Lannister forces would arrive?" Jon inquired beginning to clear his face of tears.

"Never." Daenerys finally said. Tears began to form in her eyes and Jon realized what thoughts were stirring in her mind.

"Viserion." He mumbled.

"My child died for nothing!"

Jon pulled her into his embrace holding her face to his chest as she sobbed into it. "We'll kill them all Dany. The Night King, Cersei, all of them. It won't be in vain, I promise." Jon said as he started wiping the tears from her eyes.

"We should send him back in a box filled with ash." Daenerys said, suddenly switching from sadness to anger.

Jon wanted to kill Jaime after everything he and his family had done. But he needs to think about the war to come."We don't have enough men to simply throw them away, we need every man we have. Where is he?" he asked.

"In the cells." She responded.

"I think it's time we had a chat with him."

XXXX

As the White Wolf and the Mother of Dragons were making their way, the Lion Limp was having a trip down the memory lane with his brother in the dungeons. Jaime was placed in one of the cells while his brother was standing behind the bars.

"You know it's not so bad." Tyrion said sarcastically. "I mean it's not exactly large, that thing in the corner is… well it's something, and look. They even gave you a bucket."

Jaime turned his head to his with a serious look on his face but burst into laughter he could no longer contain. Tyrion joined him not long after. "I recall having a rather similar conversation at your cell in King's Landing." Jaime said, remembering the stressful trial. "So does that mean you're going to kill the guards and bust me out?"

"Oh well I don't know should we try it?" Tyrion said being fully aware he wouldn't because of his stature. He missed his brother and if he was being serious, part of him wished he stayed in King's Landing but the other part of him is happy that he's here before they all die.

Tyrion turned his head at the sound of footsteps and saw Jon and Daenerys with Brienne accompanying walking the hall and approaching the cell. "Your graces." Jaime said bowing his head but not standing up.

"We decided not to decide on his punishment without you." Daenerys said to Jon without looking at him, both of them keeping their eyes on Jaime, piercing into him.

"Ser Jaime Lannister, you have committed many crimes, murdered the king you were sworn to protect, fought my father in the streets in King's Landing, laid siege to Riverrun after the Tullys took it back." Jon listed off everything he committed against his family and many others. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Jon questioned. The bastard whom Jaime had met many years prior was not the same boy he knew. He actually seemed like he had some sort of confidence in what he was saying.

"I understand that my crimes are many and you're not even close to listing them all. But all of that won't matter if we don't win this war." Jaime said trying to defend himself.

"Is it we already?" Jon deadpanned. Jaime stared at him wide-eyed remembering those words he said to him all those years ago and surprised that he even remembered them.

"I understand that you shouldn't trust me as my loyalties have always been debatable but." Jaime paused to look at Brienne over their shoulders. "This goes beyond loyalty."

Brienne raised her chin pleased that he took her advice.

"I can't forgive you for everything you've done." Jaime looked down realizing this might be his end. "But I'm not putting a good man like you to waste. Tyrion, find my sister and tell her I want Ser Jaime put in a proper room. Jaime looked up and Daenerys looked less than pleased. "Thank you your grace, truly." with that Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, and Tyrion left with Brienne staying behind to bring escort Jaime out of the cells.

XXXX

She needed some time to cool down. She finally had the man who ruined her life in front of her and she couldn't do anything. Another thing troubling her was the way Jon was acting, just completely depressed. She decided to go to the library hoping it would result in peace and quiet. She sat down taking a deep breath and clearing her head before being pulled out of her thoughts by a voice behind her.

"Hello Daenerys Targaryen." Daenerys jumped at the voice and turned to see Arya Stark, the youngest Stark sister. "Hello Lady Stark." the girl made Dany uneasy. She seemed calm and collective but like she could slit your throat at a moments notice.

"I was hoping I would get a chance to speak with you at some point," Arya said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Well I would love to know more about you," Daenerys said.

"And I you," Arya said pulling out a chair not breaking eye contact. "I grew up on stories about Rhaenys and Visenya Targaryen, the two warrior women who rode into battle on their dragons." Arya's face began to show less coldness and more admiration and Daenerys started to feel she might like this young girl.

"What is it like riding a dragon?" she asked.

"Wondrous, everything else just pulls away and it's just you and the sky." Daenerys said thinking back to when she first rode Drogon back in the fighting pits of Meereen. The immense power she felt when riding away.

"I can only imagine." Arya said with a wide smile on her face.

"I've seen you fighting in the courtyard, tell me where did you acquire such skill?" Daenerys asked the young girl.

"Braavos, with the faceless men." Arya responded.

"The faceless men? I've heard of them, they're some of the deadliest assassins alive." Daenerys was finding it hard to believe that the fun loving girl Jon talked so much about on the boat is possibly this cold hearted assassin.

There were a few more seconds of silence before Arya continued to speak. "I am sorry that your reception here hasn't been pleasant." Arya apologised for the behavior of the North towards Daenerys. "My sister is less than pleased that Jon so willingly bent the knee."

"I am starting to wonder if that is what's best for the North." Daenerys had been told how much the North had suffered under Southern rule since King Torrhen bent the knee to King Aegon during his conquest of Westeros and was starting to reconsider her claim to the North, perhaps they would fare better on their own. "Why is it that Ghost is the only direwolf I see here?" Dany had been told after the great hall meeting that the Starks all had their own direwolves but only saw Jon's and he wasn't the last Stark.

"Most of them are dead, my wolf is somewhere out in the wild." Arya responded with some somber in her eyes.

"What's her name?" Dany asked. Arya smiled as she answered. "Nymeria." Dany grinned from ear to ear at this, the girl loves her warriors. While Sansa had been fairly cold towards her, Arya was someone Dany could actually see becoming friends with.

Before the conversation could continue any further they were interrupted by Maester Wolkan. "Your grace, my lady. Warden Jon Snow demands your presence in the war room, they need to plan for the defense." They both nodded and rose to follow into the war room.

The table was a map of Winterfell and the field from where the army would be approaching from. Around the table was Brienne, Tyrion, Davos, Bran, Sansa, Jon, Jaime, and Tyrion with Dany and Arya now entering. "Now that everyone's here we should start planning now that we don't have the Lannister forces." Jon began. "We don't have much time, thanks to Bran informing us that we only have till the sun comes up tomorrow." Jon started placing the pieces on the board. "Without the Lannister forces we will need half the Unsullied to man the castle walls, meaning that we will be shorter in the field." He began placing the Dothraki, Stark, and Arryn forces on the field.

"The army of the dead will charge at full force, we will need the Dothraki to meet them head on while the Stark and Arryn forces take them from the sides. Daenerys with Drogon and Rhaegal will be taking out Viserion. The wights aren't the real threat it is the White Walkers. If you take them out then the wights they raised fall along with them meaning that they will be hanging back. We will be assembling a team of the best fighters to take out the White Walkers. I don't want to big a squad to avoid being too noticeable."

The plan wasn't the best but without the Lannister forces there wouldn't be an amazing plan. "What about the Night King, since he raised them all wouldn't they all fall if he does?" Beric said from his chair in the corner. "We need a plan to lure him out, he'll never expose himself."

"Yes he will," Bran said with everyone turning to him. "He'll come for me."

"Why?" Daenerys asked.

"For once that is something I don't know." he finished not looking to anyone.

"Well we'll need someone to protect you." Jon responded.

"Theon will protect me." Bran responded. This confused Daenerys as last time she saw Theon he was on leaving Dragonstone to find his sister.

"Theon is not here Bran." Jon recalled.

"Yes he is." Bran responded.

Immediately after saying that, Theon bursts into the room with a few Ironborn men behind him. "Sorry to interrupt." he said sincerely. Sansa looked as if she was seeing a ghost and began slowly approaching him. "Hello Theon." Sansa whispered. Before he could say anything else she pulled him into a long hug. After a few more seconds Jon cleared his throat reminding Sansa that there's other people in the room.

"Theon, I'm glad you're here. I would be ever so grateful if were to protect Bran." Jon said. Theon looked over to Bran who stared right back towards him and gave him a nod.

"It would be an honour." he replied.

"Everyone get some rest, we need to be ready."With that everybody began to clear out leaving just Bran and Jaime who chose to linger behind.

Once the last person exited and closed the door Jaime then approached him. "I… I wanted to say I'm sorry for what I did to you, I've done horrible things and I'm trying to make it better." Jaime could barely look into his eyes. Even if his eyes weren't resentful or anything really it didn't make it any easier.

"It had to happen, so you could be here, as could I."

Jaime looked up in surprise that he was so easily able to forget what happened. "That doesn't make it right." Jaime said.

"I never said it was right, but it needed to happen." Jaime was completely bewildered by Bran's complete acceptance and even gratefulness of the events that transpired between them. But all he could do was give him a nod and ask for leave which Bran granted him.

XXXX

Missandei stood on the walls observing the Unsullied working tirelessly on the trench surrounding the castle walls of Winterfell. She looked throughout the yards of Winterfell inside and outside seeing men, young and old, training with large assortments of weapons. Axes, swords, spears. Finally after minutes of searching she came across him, training a young boy how to use a spear and shield. However his training with the masters rubbed off on him a little too much and Missandei decided it would probably be best to stop him before he threw the boy off the highest tower in Winterfell.

After she descended the walls and ran out into the field she was immediately hit with shiveringly a cold breeze. The adjustment from the climate Meereen, to Dragonstone, to Winterfell was excruciatingly difficult. It would of made her more comfortable to know she wasn't the only one but Grey Worm never appeared to sweat from heat of shiver from cold. Of course, why would he. Unsullied have no weakness, or he was freezing and his Unsullied nature didn't allow him to show it. She approached Grey Worm continuing his brutal training of the young boy who luckily, seemed to be a natural talent. Even still, he was being far to hard on him and Missandei decided to calm him before it got out of hand. She placed a hand on his shoulder and his face instantly softened at the sight of her. "You shouldn't be so difficult on him, he is only a boy." Missandei said attempting to sooth him.

"I am making strong soldier." He said looking to the boy now collapsed with tiredness.

"He seems pretty strong to me, and the young ones won't be the ones doing most of the fighting." She said and Grey Worm's shoulders finally began loosening.

"You should take a break and walk with me." Grey Worm nodded and lifted the boy to his feet finally allowing him to go rest but being too tired to move to a resting place, he fell right back to the ground staring at the sky. Missandei smiled at this and took Grey Worm by the arm and began guiding him back within the walls.

"How is Westeros?" Grey Worm asked once they reach the gates and enter the castle once more.

"A fair bit cold I must say." Missandei responded. "And everywhere we have been thus far has been rather gloomy." While Dragonstone was a impressive and large stronghold it was far from welcoming. King's Landing while a large city, glamourous city, their reception there was rather negative. And Winterfell was rather simplistic, a nice looking castle but clearly not a huge, extravagant home. A lot like Jon Snow. Grey Worm suddenly stopped walking and gripped her arm turning her to him.

"When the war is won and there are no more fights to fight. Do you want to stay here?" Grey Worm said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "This is not my home, it never will be."

"Then where is your home?" Missandei asked raising an eyebrow.

"My home is with you, wherever you wish to be, I follow. But I do not believe you wish to grow old in this place." Grey Worm finished now grasping her hands in his.

"What about the queen? Are you not loyal to her?" Missandei knew Grey Worm's loyalty to their queen was immense so this suggestion to leave greatly confused her.

"I love our queen but she will have no use for me once the wars are won and there is peace." He said. "But if you wish to stay here then I will stay. But if you wish to leave then we will leave." Grey Worm was now finished and waited for her response.

"It would be nice to return home, to Naath."

Grey Worm then smiled and placed a hand to her face, caressing her cheek. "Then to Naath we will go." Finally Missandei brought Grey Worm's lips to hers. "Let's go get some rest."

XXXX

"You hit it how many times?" That familiar voice halted her steps and immediately changed her demeanour as she continued approaching the top of the battlements. "Once with a rock in the jaw, and three times with your fucking hammer!" That same crude voice made Arya lose her breath as they were both here and they were somehow both alive. She cooled herself and calmed her breathing, changing back into her calm and collective demeanor as she continued ascending the steps. Once she reached the top she saw the three of them. Gendry, Sandor, and Beric.

"There's no way it was still moving after you hit it hard three times."

Gendry laughed. "Three times and your hammer didn't do shit, the cunt just kept on coming." Sandor laughed.

"Did you ever get him?" Gendry asked.

"I just told you are you fucking listening to word I say?" Sandor said smacking him on the head. Not hard enough that it hurt but hard enough that it knocked Gendry right of the box he was sitting on.

When he lifted his head to get up he looked behind and noticed her. "Arya?" Arya gave him a slight grin. "Hello Gendry," Gendry gave her a nod with a smile and silently gave her an invitation to sit which she took.

"You remember how we last saw each other?" Sandor asked. "You left me to die."

"First I robbed you." Sandor gave let out a small laugh at this offered her some wine which she accepted, drinking it all. Once she was done she handed it back to him, while Beric and Gendry looked completely shocked Sandor seemed to not care at all.

"Normally when you're offered to drink from somebody else's wine you take a sip," Sandor said filling his sheepskin back up.

"It's not like you're going to do anything about it," Arya responded raising an eyebrow like a challenge. Sandor smiled and raised his bottle before taking another sip.

Arya turned back to Gendry now, "Why are you talking to the man who sold you to a witch?"

Gendry looked back at Beric, clearly questioning it himself. "It doesn't really matter anymore, we'll probably be dead by the end of the night anyways." he responded. "Also I heard you're going to be a part of the team to go kill the White Walkers," He said.

"I am." She responded hoping he'd elaborate.

"Are you sure I mean, I know you know how to use a sword but these things are death believe me it's not easy like tapping Hot Pie with Needle." Gendry blurted out quickly and with great concern.

"I know death, there's many faces to him, and I look forward to seeing this one." She said. "I'll see you later Gendry."

She rose to her feet and began walking off without looking back. Gendry looked to Sandor with questioning eyes. "What are you waiting for, permission? Go fuck her!" Sandor said, immediately taking a huge swig of wine after he said that. Gendry then sprinted off to find her.

"You don't approve." Beric finally said something.

"You can speak?" Sandor replied sarcastically.

"No but it's not my place to say that I'm not her father." Beric gave a quick smirk.

"Well we'll be on our way to fight the White Walkers soon, let's hope they don't take to long."

XXXX

The sun finally began to settle upon the horizon making the sky a orange, blue, and red mixture. It was beautiful, truly beautiful. The last beautiful thing he would probably ever see and he wasn't even outside to observe it. No, he chose to remain inside on this beautiful evening and spend his time drinking all the wine left in the world and drowning in deep conversation with his brother.

"Who was that one whore? What was her name, I remember she was the first one to actually throw me out of the brothel." Tyrion said. He was so drunk at this point he wasn't even entirely sure if this was actually someone real or some memory conjured up in his head.

"I think her name was Bloodrayne." Jaime answered.

He needed to keep a sober head seeing as he was to be fighting in this war but Tyrion would be hiding within the castle walls. "What was it for again?" Tyrion asked. "Why are you asking me? You're the one who got thrown out." Jaime asked.

"Because I was probably very drunk and did something stupid." Tyrion slurred.

"You seem to do a lot of stupid things when you're sober," Jaime commented. Tyrion had told him how much he had been failing Daenerys lately.

"That's not very kind of you Ser." Tyrion slurred once again.

Footsteps began approaching behind him and Jaime turned around to see Brienne and Podrick. "Pod, dear boy where have you been?" Tyrion asked attempting to get to his feet but tripping. He would've hit his head on the floor if Pod hadn't caught him.

"I've been training and training others my lord." Pod squeezed out as he lifted Tyrion back onto his chair

"Lady Brienne." Jaime nodded.

"Ser Jaime." Brienne nodded back.

"Well do sit with us. I would like to know how Pod's sword training has been coming along." Tyrion said.

"He has shown great improvement since he's started but still has a lot to learn." Brienne said while looking at Pod.

"Well then it's a good that he has a great teacher." Jaime said smiling and raising his glass.

"Sit down, drink with us!" Tyrion exclaimed pulling out a chair beside him for Pod and tapping the seat and Pod is ready to take his invitation before Brienne places her hand over his shoulder.

"We need to be sober to fight the army of the dead." she said. Pod gives a pout but agrees and takes a seat next to Tyrion without a glass. Before they begin to indulge in conversation three others begin to enter the hall. Ser Davos, Ser Jorah, and Samwell Tarly.

"Oh good the more the merrier!" Tyrion said barely able to get the words out properly. "No drinking for any of us tonight I'm afraid." Davos said raising his hand before pulling out a seat. Tyrion raises both his hands in the air and looks around the room sarcastically flabbergasted.

"Is nobody going to drink with me?" he asked.

"No." They all said in unison.

Tyrion sulks into his chair dejected. He looks over to Jorah to see he carries a new sword, the hilt far more attractive than the sword he normally carried.

"New sword Ser Jorah?" He asked. Jorah removed the sword from his sheath showing it off to Tyrion.

"A gift from Samwell." The disgraced Lord of Bear says while resheathing it.

"Well who would have thought I would ever be in a room with three valyrian steel swords," Tyrion said looking from Brienne to Jaime to Jorah.

Jaime looked down seemingly in shame while Brienne explained. "They were newly formed valyrian steel swords made from the Stark ceremonial sword 'Ice'."

There was an awkward silence that followed which was then broken by a chuckle of Tyrion. "I suppose it's poetic that you defend Winterfell with the steel of Ned Stark's sword."

Jaime looked up after hearing his brother say this and nodded as if the shame he carried was washed away and was replaced with some semblance of pride. His brother used to have an endless supply of pride but now he was just a sad old man. A shadow of what he used to be but better for it.

XXXXX

Sansa did not like what Jon was going to do as she and her half brother were heading down the stairs to the crypts with lit torches in their hands along with the house guards but it was necessary. It was bad enough that she had to witness her father being beheaded for a crime he did not commit but the thought of Lord Eddard Stark being one of the undead is... she held back a shiver at the thought. After the meeting was over, Jon had a word with her in private, wanting her to know that he was going to burn the remains of those excluding Robb and her mother to keep them from being reanimated, that is if she was alright with it. Hesitant at first, Sansa understood and gave him the permission to do so.

The houseguards opened the tombs of Ned and Rickon Stark allowing the Warden of the North and the Lady of Winterfell to set their corpses on fire before moving on.

XXXX

"So back to all of us dying tonight." Tyrion said rubbing his hands together. "Lady Brienne, I heard you will be one of the knights fighting the White Walkers, I thought you would be defending Lady Stark."

"Well firstly I am not a knight and secondly, the best way to defend Lady Stark is to kill the threat," Brienne responded and the room fell silent for a few minutes.

"Would you like to remedy that?" Jaime asked. Brienne's face turned to his with a look of surprise at his suggestion. "Come here." He said motioning his finger to her to follow him to the middle of the room.

Everyone's eyes followed her as she followed Ser Jaime to the middle of the room.

He drew his sword and commanded her to kneel which she did. He placed his sword over one shoulder and began reciting the words he had never uttered before but had heard so many times over the course of his knighthood. "In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave."

He then placed his sword on the other shoulder.

"In the name of the father, I charge you to be just."

Once more he placed his sword and muttered the final words to form her into a knight. "In the name of the mother, I charge you to defend the innocent."

He then withdrew his sword and sheathed it. "Arise Ser Brienne of Tarth, a knight of the seven kingdoms."

Brienne rose to her feet slowly, taking in every second. She had never wished for the title of knight as it was just a title that didn't hold much value. Anybody can be knighted. She longed for what was received when the title was earned. Respect. Something she yearned for for a length of her life and she had just been gifted it by Ser Jaime Lannister. Someone who insulted her repeatedly, day after day, minute after minute while she brought him across the country and now here he was giving her the title of Ser. As she rose to her feet everyone rose to theirs and gave her applause and praise. She turned back to Jaime and he was giving her a tender smile. This wasn't a title she had been simply given for being of noble birth. This was something she earned, something she fought for with teeth and nails and everyone knew, and they cheered her for it.

The brief moment of happiness was cut short by the sound of three horns sounding from the outside signaling the White Walkers arriving. Everyone rose from their seats, Davos and Tyrion heading to command the wall and Brienne, Jaime, and Jorah heading towards the agreed upon meeting place where Daenerys would escort them to their position on dragonback. The dead were here, and if she could've picked any time she would most prefer dying than this would be a decent choice. She would die proud.